Car Crashes

Ex-NFL wide receiver Michael Jackson -- who led the NFL in receiving TDs in '96 -- was killed in a motorcycle accident Friday morning in Louisiana ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Louisiana State Police confirm Jackson was in an accident in Tangipahoa, LA while riding his motorcycle in the early morning. He was 48.

Officials say Jackson was driving a '13 Kawasaki on US 51 around 1 AM at a "high rate of speed" when a 20-year-old woman backed out of a parking spot and into both lanes of the highway.

The motorcycle crashed into the driver's side door of the car -- and the impact was so violent, the bike smashed through the door and killed the driver of the car.

Officials are investigating the crash.

Jackson played in the NFL from '91 to '99 for the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens. He exploded in '96 when he finished 6th in the league in receiving yards, behind guys like Isaac Bruce, Herman Moore and Jerry Rice.

He was also college teammates with Brett Favre at the University of Southern Mississippi.

After injuries cut his career short, Jackson turned to politics and became the mayor of Tangipahoa in 2009. He served until 2013.

ESPN legend Chris Berman and his family say they're "overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and sympathy" they've received in the wake of Kathy Berman's death.

The sports world is rallying around Chris Berman after news broke that his wife died in a car wreck ... with huge stars sending their condolences and messages of support to the ESPN legend.

Russell Wilson -- "Truly sad to hear Mrs. Kathy Berman is no longer with us. Praying for you Chris as I know you always told me she was your rock."

WWE legend Jim Ross -- "So unfortunate for the #ChrisBerman family. My sincere condolences. #KnowTheFeeling"

Buffalo Bills -- "Chris Berman has been a friend of the Buffalo Bills for many years and we are all heartbroken to learn of the passing of his wife, Kathy. We will circle the wagons for Boomer and his family."

Chris Long -- "Prayers with Chris Berman over the loss of his wife. Unimaginable."

Justin Tuck -- "Prayers to Chris Berman and his family!!"

Rob Dibble -- "Thoughts and Prayers to Chris Berman and his family, his wife Kathy passed away yesterday. RIP"

Hunter Strickland -- "Thoughts and prayers for Chris Berman and his family. Deeply saddened to hear this news."

Dick Vitale -- "Like many of u I am Heartbrokrn over the news of the tragic passing of Kathy Berman / Prayers go out to Chris & his family May she RIP"

Jamal Anderson -- "Thinking of Chris Berman and his family. Rest in peace, Kathy. Awful news."

The wife of ESPN legend Chris Berman was killed in a bad crash in Connecticut on Tuesday ... when her car slammed into another vehicle, killing both drivers.

According to the police report obtained by TMZ Sports, 67-year-old Katherine Berman was driving her 2003 Lexus around 2:15 PM when she slammed into the back of a Ford Escape.

Officials say Katherine's car veered off the roadway and overturned into a small body of water, as seen in a photo from the scene, obtained by NBC Connecticut.

The other car collided with a utility pole and landed on its roof.

The driver of the other car -- an 87-year-old man -- was transported to a nearby hospital but did not survive.

In a photo of the crash scene obtained by WTNH, you can see the other driver's car (behind the red Ford) was completely totaled.

Chris and Katherine have been married since 1983 and have 2 kids together.

Chris was reportedly at the Giants vs. Mets game at Citi Field when he was notified of the crash by NYPD officers.

ESPN President John Skipper issued a statement saying, "This is a devastating tragedy and difficult to comprehend."

"Chris is beloved by all his ESPN colleagues and for good reason: he has a huge heart and has given so much to so many over the years. We know how much his family means to him and all we can do at a moment like this is give him the love and support he will surely need at this hour."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Chris, Meredith, Doug and the entire family."

Pacman Jones went off on the 911 operator he called for help after his car crash in Ohio early Tuesday morning ... and was especially upset when she questioned if he REALLY drove a Rolls-Royce.

In Pacman's defense, the operator jumped on him for not being more descriptive about the location of the car wreck and raised her voice at him. He didn't like that.

Pacman fired back, "Can you stop f**king yelling on the phone!?"

"I just got into a wreck. I'm kinda shook up. I'm trying to find where the f*ck I'm at. Good God Almighty."

Oh, and stay tuned at the end of the call when Pacman turns to someone -- who may be the other driver -- and screams out, "What the f*ck were you looking at?!"

Fortunately, no one was injured in the crash. Pacman says he plans on selling the car.

1:25 PM PT -- We spoke with Jones' agent who tells us the NFL star was very shaken up but "showed great restraint."

He says Jones insists he was t-boned by a guy who blew a stop sign because he was texting while driving.

Pacman Jones WENT OFF after someone hit his Rolls-Royce in Ohio early Tuesday -- saying if it wasn't for his anger management classes he would "smack the sh*t out of a n**ga."

The Cincinnati Bengals star claims he was driving in Amelia, Ohio -- near Cincinnati -- when another car "ran straight into me" ... wrecking the side of Pacman's very expensive whip.

After the wreck, Pacman unleashed an n-word and expletive-laden tirade -- saying, "This n**ga done pulled out and hit me!"

"They talk about anger management at work ... normally I'd smack the shit outta a n**ga who do the sh*t like that. Stupid motherf**ker."

Pacman entered anger management after video surfaced of the NFL star berating and wishing death on a police officer during an arrest at a Cinci hotel earlier this year.

We spoke with police about the car crash -- officials say it was a "minor accident" and Pacman did not get physical with the other driver.

"Revenge of the Nerds" star Robert Carradine admits being in a psychotic state when he slammed into a semi-truck head on that nearly killed him and his wife ... but he claims it's HER fault because she cut off his meds.

Robert says he experienced acute psychosis after his estranged wife, Edith, cut off his bipolar Rx ... still, she implored him to get behind the wheel the day of his horrific March 2015 crash.

In the divorce docs, obtained by TMZ, Robert says his downward spiral began after his brother David's death in 2009. He says he was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

We broke the story ... Edith filed docs saying Robert confessed to intentionally driving into the semi-truck to kill them both.

As for their beef over money ... Robert says she blew the $70k they made off an appearance on "Celebrity Wife Swap."

"Revenge of the Nerds" star Robert Carradine confessed to deliberately driving into a semi-truck, intent on killing himself and his wife -- that's her bombshell claim in new legal docs.

Robert's estranged wife, Edith Carradine, says 4 months after the harrowing March 2015 crash on a Colorado highway, she confronted Robert about the accident. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, she says Robert "confessed to me and our two children that he deliberately drove into the truck to kill us both."

She added Robert's an "experienced professional race car driver" who was wide awake ... so when he suddenly veered across the highway and into the full sized semi-truck, he did so on purpose."

Edith says the crash was the result of Robert's depression, which he's been suffering since his brother, David's death in 2009. She wants possession of Robert's 17 guns, fearing he'll hurt himself.

Her other beef is money. In the docs, Edith says she's broke, has no job and owes more than $14k in attorney fees. She wants his guitars, some of which he claims she's already taken, because they're worth several thousand dollars.

Tampa Bay Bucs running back Doug Martin was involved in a car accident in Tampa on Thursday afternoon and crashed into an air conditioner ... but luckily he escaped with only minor injuries.

Tampa PD says the 2-time Pro Bowler was driving his black BMW through an intersection when he was hit by another driver in a black Kia who blew through a stop sign. Martin's Beamer was forced off the road and ended up colliding with an outdoor air conditioning unit.

Law enforcement tells us Martin didn't go to a hospital and was treated on the scene for minor cuts and bruises.

As for the other driver, Tampa PD cited him for a stop sign violation.

The Bucs just issued a statement saying, "Doug was the unfortunate victim in an auto accident earlier today after leaving our team facility. While Doug's vehicle sustained a large amount of damage, we are pleased to report that he received only minor cuts and bruises. He has been evaluated by our medical staff and has headed home."

Chris Soules says he did everything he was legally required to do at the scene of his fatal accident, and his lawyers have just filed legal docs asking the judge to dismiss the felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident that results in death.

TMZ broke the story ... Chris was arrested and charged with the crime after slamming into a tractor on an Iowa road, killing the driver.

Chris' lawyer says the 911 call is bulletproof against any prosecution, because it shows Chris made the call, ID'd himself as the driver involved in the crash, and then he tried to help the tractor driver by checking his pulse. Only after EMTs arrived did Chris leave the scene.

As we reported ... Chris left before cops arrived and we know the police wanted to administer a field sobriety test. When they caught up with Chris at his home he refused to come out and it took hours to get a search warrant -- by that time any blood alcohol test was essentially useless. Chris' lawyers say drivers aren't required to stay at the scene of an accident until police arrive.

Chris Soules' lawyers are going after the Sheriff's Dept. and prosecutors, clearly trying to establish they're in bed with the media by leaking damaging information about Chris that could affect his right to a fair trial.

Lawyers for "The Bachelor" star have just filed legal docs looking to find all contact the Sheriffs, prosecutors and other law enforcement agencies involved in the case had with the media. The lawyers want text messages, emails, electronic log books (presumably this includes cell phone calls), journals and appointments between law enforcement and the media.

The docs also ask for any evidence that payment was offered to members of law enforcement for interviews or statements.

The lawyers are demanding law enforcement preserve all these records, presumably so they can be inspected.

As for why ... several reasons. First, Soules' lawyers have already complained media coverage has tainted the case and inaccurately portrayed their client's actions the night of the fatal crash.

Iowa cops have pulled out the legal guns to locate the vehicle that took 'Bachelor' Chris Soules from the scene of the fatal crash.

TMZ has obtained documents showing police have obtained a search warrant for the red Chevy. As we reported, after calling 911 and then checking the pulse of the tractor driver who later died, the Chevy came along, Chris jumped in and left before cops arrived.

Cops want the Chevy as evidence, although it's unclear why. Since the accident occurred Monday, any alcohol present in the vehicle would be irrelevant, since it would not prove what was inside at the time of the accident.

Cops are clearly interested in the results of the blood tests that were taken at the hospital hours after the accident. The search warrant allows police to obtain the results from the hospital.

WWE legend Jim Ross' wife, Jan Ross, suffered a traumatic brain injury ... the official cause of death after she was struck from behind by another car while riding her Vespa home.

The Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner tells TMZ Sports that, while the cause of death has been determined, a toxicology report's still pending. Amy Elliott, the Chief Administrative Officer, also tells us the death has been ruled an accident.

Cops tell us the crash remains under investigation.

As we reported ... Jan suffered multiple skull fractures on March 20 after a 17-year-old male driving a 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis struck Jan's Vespa from behind. She was thrown off the scooter and both vehicles caught fire. Jan was not wearing a helmet.

She was being kept on life support but died 2 days later.

Chris Soules' fate in the fatal car crash could be determined by his cell phone ... and the stakes are high -- a possible vehicular manslaughter prosecution.

Law enforcement sources involved in the investigation tell us they're especially interested to know if Soules was a distracted driver by using his cell phone at the time of the crash. We're told law enforcement seized his phone and they will be looking at texts, photos, social media posts and his call log.

We're told Soules loved taking photos of sunsets as he drove down Iowa roads and regularly posted them on Twitter. He has now deleted his Twitter and Instagram accounts.

If it's determined Soules was using his phone at the time of the crash, our sources say a vehicular manslaughter charge is definitely on the table.

As for the charge he now faces -- the felony of leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death -- our Iowa law enforcement sources say they believe he'll be prosecuted but will not be convicted.

Our sources say the fact Soules is famous works against him, because prosecutors don't want to appear soft on celebrities. Based on what our law enforcement sources tell us, here's what Soules has working for and against him.

WHY HE SHOULD BE PROSECUTED

-- Soules left the scene of the accident before cops arrived. This deprived law enforcement of determining if he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Fact is ... since he was in a standoff at his house for hours before he was taken to a hospital where blood was drawn, there's almost no chance of determining if drugs or alcohol contributed to the crash.

-- Open containers of beer were found in Soules' truck.

-- He did not provide anyone at the scene with his driver's license, proof of insurance and other relevant information.

-- He caused the accident by rear-ending the tractor.

WHY HE SHOULD NOT BE PROSECUTED

-- The 911 audio works to Soules' benefit in a significant way. He identifies himself by name and tells the dispatcher he was involved in the accident. He also administered first aid by checking the victim's pulse. It appears he left just as paramedics were arriving, so there's nothing more he could have done to aid the victim.

-- Soules sounds coherent in the 911 audio. So, even if he had a drink or 2, at least from outward appearances, he didn't seem intoxicated.

-- There were skid marks showing Soules tried braking before the crash. Also, one law enforcement source tells TMZ, based on the skid marks, it does not appear he was driving at an excessive speed.

Our sources say although they believe prosecutors will charge Soules, if the case goes to trial, "it's a loser." As one source said, "Iowa juries that understand rural life are not going to convict a guy who tries helping the victim before leaving."

Our sources believe this case will end up in civil court and Soules will settle by paying a substantial amount of money to the victim's family.

'Bachelor' Chris Soules walked away from the scene of the fatal crash, apparently called someone to pick him up and take him home, and when Sheriff's deputies got to his house he refused to come out.

We're told there were no eyewitnesses to the crash, but there were people present when Soules called 911 and they were the ones who ID'd him when he left the scene.

Law enforcement sources say 2 deputies went to Soules' family home and asked him to come out but he refused. It then took several hours for them to get a search warrant.

Our sources say when they searched Soules' pickup they found beer cans inside. We don't know if they were full or empty.

Deputies eventually arrested him and took Soules to the hospital where they drew blood to determine whether alcohol or drugs were in his system.

Our law enforcement sources say it will be virtually impossible to charge Soules with driving under the influence -- in Iowa it's called Operating While Intoxicated -- because they didn't test him until hours after the crash. The sources did say if there's an independent way of proving he was drinking just before the crash -- say in a bar -- the situation could change.

There's a buzz in the area where the accident occurred that the tractor may not have had its lights on. Someone told us the tractor didn't even have lights. Law enforcement, however, isn't sure the tractor needed lights because it was twilight at the time of the crash.

As for whether Chris could be charged with vehicular manslaughter ... law enforcement says it's way too early to tell. The investigation will take 2 weeks to a month to complete, and the results will then be forwarded to prosecutors who will make a decision.

Chris Soules called 911 at the scene of the crash before booking it ... this according to the 911 audio.

You hear a winded Soules -- who also seemed coherent -- telling the dispatcher there was an accident with a tractor and a vehicle and says the tractor driver was injured and unconscious after being thrown into a ditch.

Soules interacted with the victim, checking his pulse ... saying he felt it. Soules also said the victim was bleeding from his mouth.

The 911 audio goes on ... the dispatcher asks if anyone could administer CPR. Someone is performing CPR but it's unclear if it was Soules.